River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-01-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent

more, and up at the Capitol you hear
much about tariff reduction plans and
an extra session. The President has
become alarmed at the condition of
affairs IN his party in Congress, and
realizes the necessity of doing some
thing as soon as possible. 1t is said
Senator Vest and Hon. S. S. Cox will
be his mouthpieces in each end Of tn Q
Capitol to get the Tariff question again
up for discussion. If they fail, the
President threatens to call an extra
session of the Fiftieth Congress upon
the expiration this, hoping that it
may carry out his wishes.
Representative Mills, of texas, and
Cox. of New York, will he the rival
candidates for the craftsmanship of
the WAYS and Means Committee in the
FifUieth Congress and the result will
indicate whether it is the disposition
of the party to adopt a bold and ag-
gressive Tariff policy or one more con-
ciliatory. As to the Republicans and
Tariff reform, for the remainder of
| this session, their members of the
Ways and Means Committee, have de-
cided to adopt as a platform a revenue
bill which favors reduction Of in
ternal revenue and an "adjustment"
of Tariff.
Attorney General Garland, who has
not been in the Senate Chamber since
the Pan Electric Investigation, at
tended the Logan funeral in company
with the other members OF the Cab
met. 1t is claimed that Mr.. Garland
is not harrasSed by the criticisms
upon him which appear in print. for
the reason that he knows nothing
about them. He does not read the
newspapers, aud is consequently ignor-
ant of what is said and thought in the
world.
Public Printer Benedict, vino has
made himself notorious by the whole
sale discharge of Government clerks, |
will soon be tried in the furnace to see
if he himself is not wanting. Rep
resentative Farquhar, on the part of |
the printers union of New York. is
conducting the fight against his con-
firmatiOn in the Senate. Opposition |
to him is based upon the grounds that
he is not a practical printer, which
the law stipulates Public Printer
shall be. Mr.. Farquhar argued that
unless Mr.. Benedict could earn the
average wages in composing room
he could not be considered prac teal
printer. This he said, would be rat
ing practical printer very low.
A few days ago Senator NJ itchell, of
Pennsylvania, asked the Senate to
pass bill giving pension of g.. 600
year to the widow of Senator Logan.
The bill failed then through the inter
ference of Senator Coke of Texas, but
yesterday it was brought to vote
and passed. The sum fixed is the
same amount as that given to the
widows of General Hancock and Gen.
Thomas.
1t is probable that new Inaugural
ton day will be determined upon by
Congress. Last June tie Senate voted
to extend the Presidents term of
office to the last Tuesday in April, and
also to substitute the lat Tuesday in
April for the fourth of March as the
commencement and termination of
the official term of Vice Presidents,
Senators and Representatives Some
of the reasons given 70: this change
were that the first President was in
augurated on the Both Of April, that
it would be a fitting celebration of
George WashingtOn's Inauguration to
inaugurate the President in 1889 upon
the same day and that the fourth of
March as the day for installing a new
government unduly curtsils the second
session of every Congress.
In the House of Representatives this
resolution passed by the Senate, came
in contact with the so called Grain
resolution. This proposes that the
Constitution be 80 amended that the
term of the Fiftieth Congress shall
end on Dec. 3lst at noon; that the
| Fifty.frst Congress shall meet i'm
mediately thereafter, and that the
meeting day of each succeeding Con-
gress shall be the second Tuesday in
| January. Mr.. Grains plan would
bring the Fifty-frst Congress together
about two months after the members
| had been elected, instead of thirteen
months, as is now the case. 1t short
ems the term of the next Congress
two months, but it affords all future
Congresses an opportunity for sessions
of twelve months if desirable. The
senate proposition adds one month
to the second session OF each session.
The House Judiciary Committee is
now considering both OF these plans
and it is thought they will report
resolution containing tie best points
In both.
General Sherman was non-commit-
tai when asked about az alleged cor
respondence between himself and Mr..
Blaine in which the later offered to
personally support Gen Sherman for
the Presidential nomination in 1884.
IF any such letters exist, suggested
the old soldier, it will De time to pub
lish them after Mr.. Blame and | have
passed away" just before the General
was retiring, he was heard to say one
day At the War Department, that he
had no political ambition. Il have
had enough to satisfy a soldiers ambi-
! ton" added he, "why should | en-
danger the record have made by an
attempt to get the Presidency 2"
Kfanfcstnhtc.
Some sneak thieves entered $. II.
Burr's barn last Tuesday night, but not